Recent Immigrants in Metropolitan Areas: Saskatoon—A Comparative Profile Based on the 2001 Census
Part F: Housing
Crowded accommodations more common for recent immigrants
In Saskatoon, the number of persons per room in recent immigrant households is well above the overall average. A total of 14% of recent immigrant households live in crowded conditions (that is, there are more persons than rooms in the home). The incidence of crowding is even higher among households consisting only of very recent immigrants. By contrast, crowding is very rare among Canadian-born households and earlier immigrant households.
| Households | Fewer than 0.5 persons | 0.5 to 0.74 persons | 0.75 to 0.99 persons | 1 or more persons | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian-born | 53,860 | 19,110 | 3,160 | 1,830 | 77,950 |
| Earlier immigrants | 5,330 | 1,610 | 330 | 140 | 7,400 |
| Recent immigrants | 1,220 | 1,090 | 420 | 430 | 3,160 |
| 1986-1995 immigrants | 730 | 590 | 170 | 150 | 1,620 |
| 1996-2001 immigrants with others | 300 | 310 | 100 | 60 | 770 |
| 1996-2001 immigrants only | 190 | 200 | 150 | 230 | 780 |
| All households | 60,540 | 21,930 | 3,970 | 2,520 | 88,950 |
| Canadian-born | 69% | 25% | 4% | 2% | 100% |
| Earlier immigrants | 72% | 22% | 4% | 2% | 100% |
| Recent immigrants | 38% | 34% | 13% | 14% | 100% |
| 1986-1995 immigrants | 45% | 36% | 10% | 9% | 100% |
| 1996-2001 immigrants with others | 38% | 40% | 12% | 7% | 100% |
| 1996-2001 immigrants only | 25% | 26% | 19% | 30% | 100% |
| All households | 68% | 25% | 4% | 3% | 100% |
Note: The total “All households” includes households of non-permanent residents not shown in the table. For definitions of household, crowding and related concepts, see the Glossary.
Large households likely to have crowded accommodations
Crowding is related to size of household. The larger the household, the greater the chance that there are more persons than rooms in the dwelling. This pattern is found among households of the Canadian-born as well as immigrants, despite the fact that there is much less crowding in households of the Canadian-born than in households of recent immigrants.
| Size of household | Fewer than 0.5 persons | 0.5 to 0.74 persons | 0.75 to 0.99 persons | 1 or more persons | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 persons | |||||
| Canadian-born | 48,160 | 9,520 | 940 | 610 | 59,220 |
| Earlier immigrants | 4,770 | 710 | 90 | 50 | 5,610 |
| Recent immigrants | 1,010 | 580 | 130 | 170 | 1,870 |
| 4 to 5 persons | |||||
| Canadian-born | 5,620 | 8,770 | 1,600 | 780 | 16,770 |
| Earlier immigrants | 570 | 840 | 170 | 70 | 1,630 |
| Recent immigrants | 210 | 470 | 180 | 170 | 1,010 |
| 6 or more persons | |||||
| Canadian-born | 90 | 820 | 620 | 450 | 1,970 |
| Earlier immigrants | 0 | 70 | 70 | 30 | 170 |
| Recent immigrants | 0 | 50 | 120 | 100 | 270 |
| 1 to 3 persons | |||||
| Canadian-born | 81% | 16% | 2% | 1% | 100% |
| Earlier immigrants | 85% | 13% | 2% | 1% | 100% |
| Recent immigrants | 54% | 31% | 7% | 9% | 100% |
| 4 to 5 persons | |||||
| Canadian-born | 33% | 52% | 10% | 5% | 100% |
| Earlier immigrants | 35% | 51% | 10% | 4% | 100% |
| Recent immigrants | 20% | 46% | 18% | 17% | 100% |
| 6 or more persons | |||||
| Canadian-born | 5% | 42% | 31% | 23% | 100% |
| Earlier immigrants | 0% | 39% | 42% | 18% | 100% |
| Recent immigrants | 0% | 19% | 43% | 38% | 100% |
Note: The total “All households” includes households of non-permanent residents not shown in the table. For definitions of household, crowding and related concepts, see the Glossary.
As shown earlier, households of immigrants who landed before 1986 are similar to the households of the Canadian-born in size. They also have accommodations that are similar in size to that of the Canadian-born.
Three in ten recent immigrant households face high housing cost
Three in ten recent immigrant households in Saskatoon spend more than 30% of their income on accommodations. For approximately one-half of these households, the cost of accommodations exceeds 50% of their income. Households consisting exclusively of very recent immigrants are even more likely to have relatively high housing costs, with two in five spending 30% or more of their income on housing. Only one in four Canadian-born households in Saskatoon has housing costs in excess of 30% of income.
| Cost of accommodation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households | Less than 30% | 30% to 50% | 50% or more | |||
| Canadian-born | 58,020 | 74% | 10,400 | 13% | 8,490 | 11% |
| Earlier immigrants | 6,040 | 82% | 810 | 11% | 510 | 7% |
| Recent immigrants | 1,890 | 70% | 410 | 15% | 380 | 14% |
| 1986-1995 immigrants | 1,160 | 71% | 240 | 15% | 210 | 13% |
| 1996-1999 immigrants with others | 400 | 79% | 70 | 13% | 40 | 7% |
| 1996-1999 immigrants only | 330 | 57% | 100 | 17% | 140 | 24% |
| All households | 66,400 | 75% | 11,750 | 13% | 9,600 | 11% |
Note: The total “All households” includes households of non-permanent residents not shown in the table. For definitions of household, crowding and related concepts, see the Glossary.
Housing costs of more than 30% of income are considered burdensome, and households facing that level of cost as a rule have low incomes. Many households of recent immigrants have low incomes and try to keep the cost of accommodations down by choosing small quarters and making their households large. However, this is often not enough to bring housing costs down to less than 30% of income.
Housing of recent immigrants in similar state of repair
Recent immigrant households in Saskatoon are slightly less likely to live in older or in very recently built dwellings in comparison to Canadian-born and earlier immigrant households. A higher proportion of recent immigrant households, and especially very recent immigrant households, live in dwellings that were built in the 1970s and 1980s.
| Period of construction | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households | Before 1971 | 1971-1990 | 1991-2001 | |||
| Canadian-born | 34,150 | 44% | 36,040 | 46% | 7,770 | 10% |
| Earlier immigrants | 3,220 | 43% | 3,450 | 47% | 730 | 10% |
| Recent immigrants | 1,290 | 41% | 1,630 | 52% | 260 | 8% |
| 1986-1995 immigrants | 670 | 41% | 800 | 49% | 160 | 10% |
| 1996-2001 immigrants with others | 330 | 43% | 370 | 48% | 70 | 9% |
| 1996-2001 immigrants only | 280 | 36% | 460 | 59% | 50 | 6% |
| All households | 38,820 | 44% | 41,330 | 46% | 8,800 | 10% |
Note: The total “All households” includes households of non-permanent residents not shown in the table. For definitions of household, crowding and related concepts, see the Glossary.
The state of repair of the housing stock for both recent immigrant and earlier immigrant households is nearly identical to that of the Canadian-born households.
| Quality of housing | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households | Regular maintenance | Minor repairs | Major repairs | |||
| Canadian-born | 51,060 | 65% | 21,990 | 28% | 4,900 | 6% |
| Earlier immigrants | 5,210 | 70% | 1,780 | 24% | 420 | 6% |
| Recent immigrants | 2,050 | 65% | 920 | 29% | 180 | 6% |
| 1986-1995 immigrants | 1,030 | 63% | 500 | 31% | 100 | 6% |
| 1996-2001 immigrants with others | 500 | 65% | 220 | 29% | 40 | 5% |
| 1996-2001 immigrants only | 540 | 69% | 210 | 27% | 40 | 5% |
| All households | 58,670 | 66% | 24,770 | 28% | 5,510 | 6% |
Note: The total “All households” includes households of non-permanent residents not shown in the table. For definitions of household, crowding and related concepts, see the Glossary.
Home ownership fairly widespread
In Saskatoon, one in five households consisting exclusively of very recent immigrants own their home compared to two-thirds of other recent immigrant households and Canadian-born households.
Figure F-1: Immigrant households (by period of immigration) and Canadian-born households—home ownership by household type, Saskatoon Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (percentage)
Note: For definitions of household and related concepts, see the Glossary.
Home-ownership is much higher among earlier immigrants than the Canadian-born. This probably reflects the higher average age and incomes of earlier immigrants, but it may also point to different choices.
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